Power transmission mechanism



Feb. 23, 1937.

O. L, STARR POWER TRANSMISSION MECHANISM Filed April 5, 1934 r .r Ra Of Y mz/w %w I A 6 W Y B Patented Feb. 23, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Oscar L. Starr, Mission to Caterpillar Tractor 00., San Leandro, a corporation of California San Jose, Calif., assignor Calif.,

Application April 3, 1934, Serial No. 718,780

1 Claim.

The present invention relates totpower transmitting means, and more particularly to an improved clutch construction.

It is an object of the invention to provide a clutch of improved construction in which drag between the driving and driven elements thereof is eliminated when the. clutch is disengaged.

Another object of the invention is to provide a clutch of improved construction in which the shiftable element of the clutch is normally urged to clutch disengaging position.

Another object of the invention is to provide a clutch of improved construction, having spring means of simple design for separating the clutch elements, which can be manufactured and assembled in the clutch economically.

. Other objects will appear as the description.

progresses.

Description of figures Description of mechanism The power transmitting means disclosed herein includes generally a driven shaft upon which are mounted a pair of spaced apart relatively shiftable driven clutch members. The driving clutch member is journaled on the shaft between the driven clutch members, and has a drive connection at its periphery with the source of power. Spring means are provided for urging the driven clutch members to the relatively shifted position thereof which serves to interrupt the drive through the clutch.

Clutch driven shaft 6 (Fig. 1) has splined end portion 1 with which driven clutch plate 8 has splined engagement, being secured thereon by nut 55. Spaced apart from plate 8 ,by spacer M is.

collar it, also splined on shaft 6 and held against axial movement thereon by sleeve l3, which is suitably held against endwise movement on shaft t. Collarl? (Figs. 1' and 2) has peripherally toothed or splined flange portion I6 adjacent an endthereoi, which is engaged for axial slidable movement with internal teeth I'l formed within 55 a central aperture of driven clutch plate It.

Thus, driven clutch plate I8 is mounted on collar I2 for rotation therewith, and for axial displacement with respect thereto and with respect to opposed driven clutch plate 8.

The driving clutch element is mounted for free rotation about shaft 6, between driven clutch plates 8 and I8, and is connected at its periphery to the source of power. Driving plate 2| (Fig. 1)

I is journaled by means of bearing 22 around spacer II and between driven clutch plates 8 and I8; plates 8 and I8 being provided with clutch facings of suitable material to engage plate 2|. Oil shields or deflectors 23 are secured to each side of plate 2| around the central aperture therein, and extend outwardly within suitably recessed portions of plates 8, l8 to preclude access of oil to the engaged faces of plates 8, l8 and 2|. Seals, 24 are seated in shields 23 and engage spacer ll.- Lubricant is supplied to bearing 22 through a suitable passage (not shown) in plate 2|. At its periphery, plate 2| (Figs. 1 and 2) has a plurality of radial lugs or extensions 26 which are connected by flexible strips or links 21 to studs 28 on flywheel 29. Flywheel 29 is secured to crankshaft 3| of the engine which provides a source of power. From the foregoing description, it is seen that a drive can be established through the clutch by moving plate l8 to the right, as viewed in Fig. l, to engage plate 2| and cause engagement thereof with plate 8. In this connec- U tion, it is to be noted that the mounting of plate 2| on bearings 22 provides for slight axial displacement along the axis of shaft 6.

Manually operable control means is provided for controlling shifting movement of plate 58 which is normally urged to clutch disengaging position. Collar i2 (Fig. 1) has threaded portion 36 adjacent its outer end, which is engaged by internal threads on spider 31 clamped thereon by suitable means including clamping bolt 38 extending transversely of a radial slot in spider 3?. Spider 37: has a plurality of forked radial extensions d l only one of which is seen in Fig. 1. Each extens on 65 has a cam lever 62 pivoted therein which has cam end 453 engaging annular raised surface 64 of plate 58. The end of each lever 32 opposite cam end 33 is pivotally connected to link M3 in turn pivotally connected to collar ll. Collar ll is journaled and 'slidably mounted on sleeve i3, and is guided by pin 48 threaded in spider 37 and passing "through a suitable aperture in collar 61. Thus, plate 18, collar l2, spider 37, and shiftable collar Al are mounted for rotation as a unit with shaft 6; and axial shifting movement of collar '41 along shaft 6, by means of left from the position shown in Fig. 1, cams 43 are released and the clutch is disengaged. The manually operable means for shifting collar 41 includes a collar formed by a pair of opposite similar semi-circular members 49, held together by bolts 49' and having flanges 50 rotatably engaged with complementary annular grooves in collar 41. Members 49 are connected to any suitable linkage to accomplish shifting movement of collar 41.

Spring means is provided for urging plate I8 to clutch disengaging position immediately upon disengagement of the clutch to preclude dragging. Such means includes a plurality of spring members disposed in radial recesses in plate I8, and having their inner ends engaged with an abutment formed on collar I2. Plate I8 (Figs. 2 and 3) is provided with a plurality of radially extending recesses 5| within raised portion 44 thereof, in which spring members 52 are secured,

by clamping blocks 53 and rivets 54. Each spring member is in the form of a leaf spring which extends inwardly from the point of fastening thereof, and has its free end overlapping toothed portion I5 of collar I2; the toothed portion providing an abutment for the inner end of the -spring. As seen in Figs. 1 and 3, when plate I8 is shifted to its extreme right-hand position, leaf springs 52 are flexed or distorted and by virtue of their engagement with toothed portion I6, exert a force tending to move plate I8 to the left. As a result, when collar 41 is shifted to the left to effect disengagement of the clutch by relieving the pressure urging plate I8 to clutch engaging position, spring members 52 become effective to move plate I8 to the left to insure disengagement of the clutch and to eliminate drag between plates I8 and 2|, and platesZI and 8.

It will be observed that resilient means 52 are mounted. on the outer surface of an outer clutch element. Therefore, they are readily accessible for assembly, or replacement or repair.

I, therefore, claim as my invention:

In a clutch, a shaft, a plate secured on said shaft, a collar secured on said shaft and spaced from said plate, a shiftable plate mounted on said collar for rotation therewith and for axial movement with respect thereto, a drive plate journaled about said shaft between said firstmentioned plate and said shiftable plate, axial movement of said shiftable plate toward and away from said first-mentioned plate serving respectively to determine and interrupt a drive from said drive plate to said shaft, a plurality of radially disposed recesses formed in said shiftable plate, and a plurality of spring members mounted in said recesses with their inner ends overlapping said collar, said spring members urging said shiftable plate to drive interrupting position.

OSCAR L. STARR. 

